New in the House

Plate Expectations has been installed. The attached document gives you an overview of the exhibits and more information will be available at the docent training on March 15. Volunteer Exhibit Handout

Our new painting, The Return: Saved from the Wreck (1859) by Thomas Brooks, will be installed in the formal parlor in March (not the family parlor as originally planned). We are thrilled to be able to exhibit Victorian-era artwork in its original frame. And while it has a not-too-Arizona theme, it does have an Arizona provenance which adds to its value to us. Learn more about it in the article below and at docent training on March 15.

The Return: Saved from the Wreck

“All the helpless are safe, the brave boat nears the shore, the true hearts who saved them are with us once more.”

This quote perfectly describes the newest acquisition by the Heritage Square Foundation. Thomas Brooks’s painting, The Return: Saved from the Wreck (1859) depicts the exciting spectacle of a lifeboat approaching shore with rescued passengers. Villagers are seen on the shoreline, celebrating the safe return of their loved ones as a commander calls instructions from the dock. The painting, one of a corresponding pair, made its public debut at the Royal Academy of Arts in London in 1862. The quote above is from that exhibition.

Thomas Brooks was born in Hull, England in 1818, and trained in London at the Sass Art School and at the Royal Academy. Although he earned his living painting portraits, Brooks is also well known as a genre artist (meaning one who focused on art that depicted scenes of everyday life). And as you can see in The Return, Brooks was particularly inspired by nautical themes and the dramatic shipwrecks that were common off the coast of England.

This incredible piece of art history was generously donated to the Rosson House Museum by self-described history geek, Sherry Rampy, from her private collection. We are thrilled to add The Return to our permanent collection, and it will be on display in the Rosson House Museum beginning in March 2018. Be sure to visit again to see this Victorian work of art in person!

Volunteer Training Schedule

March 15 @ 6pm: Training for the Plate Expectations Exhibit and the new painting. Meet in the Rosson House. For those who have tours scheduled before March 15, an exhibit outline is available above.

April 5: Volunteer Appreciation Dinner and Annual Meeting. While we are still working out the details, this year’s theme will be Vintage Phoenix. Take a walk down memory lane as we explore the locations and institutions that formed the unique character of our city. We may even have a quiz to test your knowledge! Join us for dinner, awards and a great program in the shady Lath Pavilion.

How to sign up for shifts: Update

The online calendar shows what shifts are available and which have been filled. To sign up, email me with a copy to Flare before Sunday of the coming week.